A lot has been made about President Trump’s attacks on the press, but politicians have been acting to thwart reporters and undermine the public’s right to know long before the president took office.

The challenges confronting the press will be the topic of a Dec. 4 panel discussion at Big Ditch Brewing Co. hosted by Investigative Post. Panelists include Jerry Zremski, Washington bureau chief of The Buffalo News, Jimmy Vielkind, Albany bureau chief of Politico New York, and Steve Brown, investigative reporter with WGRZ.

“We should be alarmed by Trump’s efforts to undermine a free press, but don’t think he’s alone. There are plenty of state and local officials, starting with Governor Cuomo, who aggressively attempt to thwart news gathering efforts,” said Investigative Post Editor Jim Heaney, who will moderate the panel.

“Combine this hostility with the financial challenges news organizations are dealing with and you have a perfect storm – with potentially dire consequences for our democracy.”